Cake plate



Feb. 9, 1960 M. F. BALLARD CAKE PLATE Filed Nov. 5, 1952 In ven far Mary /f'/w'e//aeral 2,924,336 CAKE PLATE y Mary Falwell Ballard, West Chester, Pa. Application November s, 1952, serial No. 318,861 l 1 Claim. (ci. 20s-46) y The present invention relates to devices for transporting cake and particularly to cake plates adapted for use at picnics, church suppers, and other festivities to which a cake must be transported from the point at which it has been baked, preferably without wrapping.

When reference is made herein to a cake, it is intended todesignate not only what is known as a cake in the limited sense, but also any similar baked our food product such as sweet breads, coffee cakes, cinnamon buns, cobblers, tarts, jelly rolls, and the like, which are sometimes designated as sweet goods in the baking industry.

A'purpose of the invention is to permit transport of a cake without wrapping and is still sticky. v

A further'purpose is to improve the appearance of cakes after transport by avoiding the necessity of placing them in contact with the sides of a box or a wrapping. '-A further purpose is to secure the layersof a cake against lateral slippage during the process of icing and during the period that the cake is stored prior to serving.

A'further purpose is to insert removable interlocks between a cake plate and a cake which willl effectively hold the cakein a predetermined position on the plate, and nevertheless will not interfere with cutting and eating.

A further purpose is to 4removably interconnect interlocking pins which extend through interlock openings in the bottom of a cake plate to the plate, permissibly by latches which engage heads on the pins, threading of the pins to the bottom of the plate, frictionally engaging a tapered portion of the pins to the bottom of the plate, or holding the pins by a closure.'

A further purpose is to provide space for the pins when not in use in a receptacle at the back of the cake plate.

Further purposes appear in the specification and in the claim.'

In the drawings I have chosen to illustrate a few only of the numerous embodiments in which my invention may appear, selecting the forms shown from the standpoints of convenience in illustration, satisfactory operation and clear demonstration of the principles involved.

Figure 1 is a central vertical section through a cake plate of the invention, illustrating the preferred embodiment.

Figure 2 is an enlarged section on the line 2--2 of Fgure 1. a

Figure 3 is a detail perspective of one of the latches shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Figure 4 illustrates in elevation pins of different sizes which will desirably be employed in the invention.

Figures 5 and 6 are sections corresponding to Figure 2 showing variations in the interconnecting means.

Figure 7 is a section similar to Figure 1, showing the cover in phantom, and illustrating a variation in the plate and the interconnecting means.

Describing in illustration but not in limitation and referring to the drawings:

It has been diicult in prior art practice to transport permissibly while the icingl 4ice 2l a a cake, particularly an iced'cake, to a picnic, church supper of the like without damage to the cake and particularly to the icing. Even with the facilities of a bakery truck, it has sometimes been dii'licult to transport' cake, especially the higher quality made-to-order products such as birthday cakes and wedding cakes. This has resulted in some cases in serious damage, especially to the appearance of the cake. repair of the icing or initial icing at the destination.

In'some instances the necessity of placing the cake in a box or of wrapping the cake has been accepted, with corresponding damage to the product. a

By the present invention it is possible to transport an iced cake even over country roads without visible damage. This can be accomplished not only with denser products such as pound cake, but even with very light and fluffy cakes of the character ordinarily made only in the home. The invention also lends'itself to use by professional bakers, production and in the production of special cakes at times of festivity, including Christmas, Easter, and in wedding and birthday cakes.

In accordance with the invention, the cake is supported on a plate, preferably of the character which does not have any upwardly extending flange at the sides which would interfere with cutting. Interlocks preferably in the form of pins extend through openings in the bottom of the'v plate, and are preferably limited in length so that they do not protrude beyond the top. The interlocks are securely held in place so that they will remain during transport, but are readily withdrawn at the bottom of the plate prior to the time when the cake is to be cut. Since the integrity of the icing is not destroyed by withdrawal of the interlocks, no one merely looking at the top of the cakeis aware that the interlocks were present.

In one embodiment of the invention, provision is made for carrying a'variety of pins in a receptacle in the cake plate itself, so that the device is self contained.

Considering first the form of Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, a cake plate 20 of the character commonly used for display and cutting of cakes has a bottom 21 provided with interlock openingsZZ distributed over the bottom and at the outside has a suitably annular peripheral flange 23 extending away from the surface 24 on which ythe cake 25 rests, and desirably terminating in an outside rim ,v 26 having a bead 27.

The ilange 23 desirably cooperates with the side wall 28`of a cover 30 having a handle 31 so that the cover when put in place as shown in Figure l is frictionally held by engagement between the flange 23 and a'bead 32 at the bottom of the side wall of the cover.

At at least some of the interlock openings 22, pins 33 -extend from the bottom and protrude in interlocking relation into the cake desirably to a distance'insutcient to expose the pins at the top of the cake. Each of the pins suitably has a pointed end 34 which makes it easy to insert the pin in the cake and has a suitably knurled head 35 too large to pass through the interlock` opening 22 and accessible for grasping the pin on the bottom of the plate. In order to protect against hurt by striking against the pins, the'pins may be made of frangible material, such as plastic, hard candy, pretzel material, or firm rubber, although they lcan also be made of metal.

Depending on the number of layers in the cake or other factors which determine the thickness of the cake, I will preferably employ long pins 33 or shorter pins 33 or still shorter pins 332 as indicated in Figure 4. Each plate will desirably be provided with sets of pins of the various sizes.

It is important that the pins in their interlock position be interconnected with the plate so that they will not drop out, for example under the -vibration of a vehicle. In

Patented Feb. 9, 1960 In other cases it has led to especially in made-to-order cakel the forhmvof Figures 1 to 4, latches 36 are provided on the bottom of the plate, pivoting suitably on rivets 37 passing through the plate bottom. Each of the latches has, suitable. projections-37 which,y in the` latching` posi tion.;desirably engages on'the two sides ofthe head'ot the.

pin; `andeach of the latchesrhas Wing eXtensionstSSzWhich serve. as4 handles, for swinging 'the latches.`

temper` stainless,I steel `offberyllium copper; s0'- that they willrsnap-Ainto placeloven theheads of the pins. l

Irroperation1 oftheform ofr Figures 1 to 4, the cake t after baking` will suitablybei assembledon therplatevpre- `The latchesa are desirably4 of spring., on resilient metal. such as. spring` t employ an interconnecting devicewhich holds` all paratory to-icing, The interlayer, icing` will `desirably be l i applied if the cakeisa multilayer cake,jand then( before icing the exterior the,l pins will be inserted. fromA below and the latches engaged, to hold the pins, The external icing'vofithercake will thenbe` accomplished, after. whicht the cover 30 willbe applied.

The cake is now ready for transport, andafter arrival,

suitably in connection withftheiinal serving of the cake,

tojone side and the pins rej-` latches` put back inv place over'the heads before takingv the cake home. l u

. Theinvention is. applicable not .only for. use on cakes. which are to `be transported, but also as aqmeanslof asrsuring relative interlayer` stability 1n multilayer. cakes;

Itgsometimesf: happens that the layers rise. unequally on opposite sides duringthe baking process, thuscreating altendency for slippagertowardthe low side, especially when thefinterlayer icingiswet. When theinventiorris to-` be applied.- for interlayer stability, it is best to,` insertthe4 pins through the iirst layer on the,plate,.and then, apply the interlayer icing on the yfirst layer, and` next apply` the succeeding layer over the ypins, using the pins to assure maintenance of centering of the upper layer; This procedure can be followed inA applying each suc. ceeding layer tothe cake. The procedureoutlinedlmakes it possible tor use very cake around the,` house or togreater distances-without waitingfor the icing'to harden. 4 Y

Iidesred, other forms, of interconnections between'tlie.

pins and theplate maybe used. In Figure 5,41 illustrate.

ailslightly enlarged portion'40. adjacent. to aA modifiedY headu35' on the pin. The portion 40 has male, threads,l and,female threads 41 `engaging with the male threads are ,provided on the bottom 21 of the plate. Ifldesiredthe bottomrmay be-thickened asvat 42 to providea sufficient lengthfor the female `threads 41.

uid icings, and transport: thev the head and smaller toward In some cases frictional engagement will be emplcvzyel,A and in Figure 6 I illustrate a tapered shank 43 `on each pin adjoining the head 35, the tapering being larger near j the point ofthe pin.` A tapered interconnecting portion 44 on the plate;v at each interlock opening engages the tapered portion `43 `and makes a jam t when the pin is forced home. h

In some cases as shown in Figure 7lit is preferable to in place. The ange 23, which' engages the cover is` in this case providedonthe'rcarface with `an Vannular' seating ring;t 45 havinghbayonet projectionstwttl atvintervals'v, and a closure 47 having cooperating bayonet projections 48 is inserted in the"seatingring-f45 with the projections 446 and 48 as. shownrin Figure 7, the ,closure t engages,h the t heads 35?' of` the pins33- and holdsthe pinstin place yin comparar tivelyf elongated-` interlock` opening 22' desirably,v formed-r in bosses 51A on thebackof' the bottom of the plate,I

Inftheispacetbetwcen the plate and the closure 47 arei ceptacle.52 is-,formedwhich receives pins-twhicht aremot- ,similar to that of `Figures that the procedure is modiedy to accommodate thesparf?y inI use yand desirably is capable of containinglthetentire groupfo` pins.` h t l j t v l Theoperationrofthe forms of Figures A5, Sand Tix 1` to` 4, the only difference being ticular, interconnection,which` is usedtbetween. ther plate and-Lthefpinrt t j t f Having thus described my invention, WhatzI-,claimras new and tdesire` to secure by #Letters Patent `is:

In a devicefor transporting `cake,a platefhavingg a bottomadaptedto support `aA cake and provided with interey lock openings distributed over *the bottom, pins` in one position `extending `through.` the interlock openings.` and f having` heads-,t on the endsiof thei pins-` beneath the plate.

` and swingable latchespivoted on `the `bottom oftheiplate` and in,onepositionengaging` the heads and-holding the Pins inA placeand in another position releasing the heads.` j

References `Cited the tile t of this patent` l UNITEDASTATESPATENTS 943,767;4 Bullard Dec: Zl", 1902i. 1,516,582" Spalding Nov.` 25, 1924L 1,939,342; Edwards Deci 12,` 1933i 2,020534' Brown Nov. l2; 1935;? 2,111,456 Marine Mar: 15,4935

FOREIGN* PATENTS 1 annularly out of registry, and then turned to` engage the projections 48 behind the projections 46 and hold the closure in place. Finger holes `50 make it easy l Vtozgrip theclosureto turnit.` Whenlockedintposition Great Britain Nov; 3192s` 

